Electrical socket



March 29, 1938. J. M. WILLHAMMER ELECTRICAL SOCKET Filed Feb. 6, 1936 l wie Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED PATENT Y f y c '2A-,1.12510 1 y ELEcTRicALsocKET yJohn M. Wiuhammeaemcago; 111. y Application February c, 193s, serial No. 62,651 1 claim, (01.*173-35'4) My invention relates to switch sockets.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved switch socket in which a unit comprising the switch mechanism and lamp contacts is readily removable and lreplaceable with respect to a wiring base inthe casing. With such a construction, if any part `of the unit, including the switch mechanism, goes wrong this unit may be easily removed by anyone `whether or not they are familiar with wiring electrical devices and a new unit may be substituted for the defective unit.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the description and claim.

I5' In the drawing, v

Figure 1 is an axial section through a lamp socket disclosing an embodiment of my invention; and l Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of the socket interior.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the construction shown comprises a sheet metal cap I having a bushing 2, secured thereto, which may be screwed onto a conduit 3, or the like, through which the feed wires 4 extend, a sheet metal shell 5 forming a casing member detachably secured to the cap in any suitable manner well known in the socket art, an insulating lining 6 of libre, or any suitable material, an upper insulating .disc I having a quick detachable connection with the cap I, wiring terminals 8 for the feed wires 4 mounted on this upper disc 1, quick detachable contacts 9 also mounted on this disc 'I, seated in recesses therein and electrically connected with the wiring terminals 8, a second insulating disc Il? underneath this first disc 'I having blade-receiving openings therethrough, through which extend contact blades I I and IIa into engagement with the contacts 9 on the upper insulating disc,

a third insulating disc I2 underneath the second insulating disc and spaced therefrom, the second and third discs being secured together and properly spaced together by means of three metal stamping members I3, I4, and I5, a pull switch mechanism I6 mounted between the second and third bases Il) and I2, for controlling the electrical connection between one of the contact blades IIa and the center contact II of the lamp socket, a shell contact I8 mounted on the lower insulating disc, a chain guide or horn I9 detachably secured to one of the three metal stampings, and a pull chain 2U secured to the chain rail 2I of the switch mechanism and passing through the chain guide I9.

The second and third insulating discs I0 and structure which can easily'be :removed and resi? placed with :respect to Vfthe upper insulating disc and the parts carried thereby, simply by ldisconnecting the casingshell 5 from the cap l and separating .the removable unit by withdrawing fthe blades I I and I Ia from engagement with the conll tacts .9 on the wiring base.

A'I'he'upper insulating disc f7 is detachably -securedto the cap by means of a pair of leaf spring members 22 ihavinglatching portions which engage suitably positioned recesses in the upper lsl insulating disc 7. The three metal `stamping members are provided with shoulder portions 23, 24, and 25 lying substantially in the same hori- Zontal plane which engage cooperating shoulder portionson the second` insulating disc Iff to posi- 20 tion vand space the second and third discs with-re" spect to each other. The second disc may be secured to the stampings by means of screws 26 extending through openings in the insulating disc ID and threaded into tapped holes 21 in the 25 horizontally extending portions of the stampings. The stamping I3 of which the contact blade II is a part is secured to the lower insulating disc and electrically connected with the shell contact by means of a screw 28 extending through an in- 30 wardly extending flange on the shell contact I8, through an opening in the insulating disc l2 and an opening in the foot portion of the stamping I3 and threaded into a nut 29 lying above the foot portion of the stamping. The stamping I4, of 35 which the contact blade I la, is a part, is secured on the insulating disc and held in engagement with one of the switch contacts by means of a screw 3U (Fig. 2) extending through the insulating disc i2 and through an opening in the base 40 portion of the stationary switch contact 3l and threaded into the foot portion of the stamping I4, the base of the contact 3| being clamped between the foot portion of the stamping I4 and the insulating disc I2. The other stationary con- 45 tact 32 of the switch is electrically connected with the center contact Ii of the socket.

For Amaking and breaking the circuit between the two switch contacts 3l and 32, a rotatable contact member is provided comprising an in- 50 sulating disc 33 rotatably mounted on an axially extending pin 34 and carrying a combined contact and ratchet member 35 having a bridging piece comprising a pair of spring contact fingers 36 alternately moved into and out of engagement 55 with respect to the two stationary switch contacts 3| and 32. This insulating disc 33 and the bridging piece carried thereby are given a 90 step-by-step movement by means of the switch actuating lever or disc 31 which is oscillatably mounted on the axially extending pin and carries a driving ratchet member 38 for cooperation with the driven ratchet member on the bridging piece. The chain rail 2| is secured to the periphery or this disc 31, the pull chain 20 being secured to the chain rail and having a portion lying in the arcuate channel portion of the chain rail in a manner well known in this art, the chain passing from this chain rail through the chain guide I9. A suitable torsion return spring 39 is provided for the step-by-step actuating disc 31 to return it through its 90 movement when the pull chain is released.

In operating the switch, a pull on the chain 20 will move the switch lever or disc 31r through an angle of a little more than 90. This will impart a corresponding movement to the insulating disc 33 which carries the bridging piece on which the spring contact iingers 36 are formed. If the switch is in on position to start with-in which position the contact fingers 36 are in engagement, respectively, with the stationary contacts 3| and 32-the 90 movement will cause the contact iingers 36 to snap off from the edges of the contacts 3| and 32, respectively, to break the circuit at two points in series. This of course turns the switch off. To turn the switch on, the chain is again pulled to give a 90 movement to the bridging piece, causing the spring contact fingers 36 to ride up the inclines on the insulating base |2 and finally to snap oi from the abrupt edges of these inclines 40 into engagement with the stationary contacts 3| and 32, thus again establishing the circuit.

As indicated above, if anything goes Wrong with the removable unit, it can be removed simply by disconnecting the casing shell 5 from the cap I and slipping the contact blades Il and lla. out of engagement with the contacts 9 on the wiring base. A new unit can then be substituted. This removal and substitution does not require any special skill and does not involve any wiring operations so that there is no danger of improper wiring in making replacement.I

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in theV art and it is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A switch socket construction comprising a rst insulating disc, shell and center contacts mounted thereon, a second insulating disc spaced from said first disc and having a pair of blade passages therethrough, a pair of metal stampings each having an integral foot portion secured to said rst disc and each having an integral blade portion extending through one of the blade passages in the second disc, a switch mechanism mounted between said discs, one side of the switch being electrically connected with the center. contact and the other side being electrically connected with one of said stampings and the other oi said stampings being electrically connected with the shell contact, a third insulating disc above said second disc having wiring terminals thereon, conm tacts for quick detachable engagement and disengagement with respect vto said bladesr also mounted on said third disc, said stampings havf JOHN M. WILLHAMMER. 

